UFC on FOX 3's Josh Koscheck no longer toying with middleweight run

Last summer, Josh Koscheck had all but packed his bags for the middleweight division. With Georges St-Pierre firmly fixed to the top of the welterweight class, there didn’t seem many options for him.

But as he revealed today, those plans have changed.

“Right now, there’s a lot of good young fighters in the welterweight division that definitely intrigue me,” Koscheck (17-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) said. “And obviously, there’s two champions at this division.”

An intriguing option is the one currently before him. At UFC on FOX 3, he meets Johny Hendricks (12-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC), who took a huge leap from division prospect to possible contender when he knocked out Jon Fitch with one punch at UFC 141.

Once rumored to fight his old nemesis Chris Leben at UFC 139, Koscheck said he’s staying put at welterweight for now.

UFC on FOX 3 takes place May 5 at IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J. Koscheck vs. Hendricks serves on the FOX-televised main card, which follows preliminary-card fights on FUEL TV.

Although they no longer train under the same roof, Koscheck and Fitch share a longtime training relationship. Fitch stepped up to fight Paulo Thiago when Thiago knocked Koscheck out at UFC 95.

So you could say Koscheck is returning the favor, as well as showing the newer guys who is boss. At UFC 143, he put a halt to the rise of up-and-comer Mike Pierce with a narrow decision.

Or schooling old-timers. Prior to Pierce, he knocked out Hall of Famer Matt Hughes at UFC 135.

And recently, the welterweight division has started to look more attractive on a long-term basis. With interim champ Carlos Condit expected to fight undisputed champ St-Pierre late this year, Koscheck’s chances of winning a belt in his longtime division are better than they were after he lost a lopsided decision to St-Pierre at UFC 124 – his second overall loss to the Canadian champ.

Should Condit defeat St-Pierre, Koscheck could make a bid for another title shot.

“So hopefully, that pans out and gets the division back into the right direction so there’s one champion,” Koscheck said.

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